The city has been withholding information on its staff's disciplinary problems and management response for months (see the Leucadia blog archives). With the arrival of Calaware attorneys riding into town, the city blinked and has now announced that it is releasing documents related to staff disciplinary actions next Wednesday, precisely after 5pm, according to city staff. Yes, the city has done a 180 and they didn't do it because they believe in open government.
Calaware is the organization that has helped in the effort to get the city to stop cheating the intent and letter of the California Public Records Act. The city is going to trial over similar mischief right now (see the encinitas taxpayers association website).
Keep reading.
Before Lady Ga Ga writes some song about how terrible it is to violate the privacy rights of city staff, stop her from freaking out. The records request was for redacted records; records without names attached.
There is little doubt that these records would not be released if Steve Meiche had not kept up the effort (records requests, editorials, letters). No one else was putting up a fight to get these records finally released, as is the intent of Prop 59 and the California Public Records Act.
Hopefully, the release will be genuine and the documents will address the questions about the fire department management. Unfortunately, there is no law to compel the fire chief to answer questions about his city council campaign management activities prior to being appointed by his buddies to his $170k/year (plus lifetime high paid pension) fire chief job.
Steve Meiche has had to fight long and hard against the city to get these records released. With redacted names this should have been a routine release of public records. But with our city it is never routine. A fortress mentality has developed over the past decade and been supported by the council majority.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who has tried to get public records from City Hall knows how difficult it is. Only the most innocuous information is promptly handed over.
Thank you Steve and thank you Calaware.
Great Job! This is really a turn about of city policy. Maybe now that Cottonmouth is leaving, the cone of silence will be shattered.
ReplyDelete